At a time when increased emphasis is placed on pre-college preparation of disadvantaged students, the number of African American students entering colleges and universities continues to decline and the achievement gaps between these students and their White peers persist. While many enrichment programs report impressive gains, little research on these programs contains the perspective of the Black students. This book presents the results of a longitudinal study of academic achievement and pre-college enrichment of disadvantaged African American adolescents in two inner-city high schools.

Through its presentation and analysis of the students' perceptions of pre-college enrichment seen in relation to their definitions of scholarship and the discussion of findings related to parent and teacher involvement, this book provides fresh perspectives on the school experiences of Black adolescents and offers important insights for those involved in both the development and evaluation of enrichment programs.